Friday, April 24, 2009

Robert Lemuel Campbell - 1858-1936 #9



Henry Hone and Joseph Hand and a few others kept me at something and I would take what they liked to give me until I was strong enough to do regular work. Then I worked on the brickyard for Joseph and Hyrum Hand. The pay was most on the store or I had to wait until they sold some bricks, but I was to do most anything to make a living. Lots of times we went short. Many times I was asked to go the places where there was sickness. At one time they had the smallpox break out there very bad and I was out night after night doing what I could for anyone. It seemed they improved or got better quite quickly so I could leave them and go to some one else but I always went to any other place it was at night.

My nearest neighbor was Brother and Sister Knighton. They used to knit stockings and he would go around the different settlements and sell them. He could not do much else as he had, had a stroke which made it bad to do much work so he helped what he could. One evening one of his girls came over as they wanted to see me. I went over and he had, had another stroke and was unconscious. I stayed there four days and nights until he passed away.

Another time I was called by the Bishop to go to the Mills Brothers home. They were all down with a fever. The children got well, but Robert Mills and his brother passed away. The Doctor thought they were neglected in the start of their sickness and it turned to Black Janders so that was about the way things went for about two years before a change took place. During that time there were three children. {Editor's Note: It is assumed from the mention of Henrietta in this paragraph that the three children spoken here are Robert Thomas born 9 Oct 1894, Napthali Barnard born 10 Nov 1896 and Henrietta born 14 Jan 1898.] Henry Hone lost two children and Will Hawkins lost a boy. A year after that Grandpa Barnard lost a little girl and soon after that our children took sick, not all at once, but as soon as one would begin to get around then another would come down. Sarah and Henrietta were the worst, but they all got through all right for which I was truly thankful. I can say I never heard my wife complain when I was called away from home to go and assist anyone, not even when our own were sick. If she thought she wanted any help she would send Hyrum after me.

I remember once I was out as a Ward Teacher on the West part of the settlement when Alfred came running to where we were and told me the horse had fallen on Hyrum. I surely did my best licks to get there and when I arrived home I found out that he had been playing on the sawhorse and it had fallen on him and made his nose bleed. My wife thought he had broken his nose as it bled so much, so it was quite a scare for both of us.

Another time Ma and Hyrum went to Payson to get some coal. It was early in the afternoon and they had to go three miles and I waited and looked for them to be back about sundown but they did not come and it was getting dark. I thought about everything imaginable that could have happened to them, so I started out a foot with my lantern to see what was the matter. I met them about three quarters of a mile down the road leading a horse and they were walking home. The other horse had died in the harness while they were coming home and they had tried to take the harness and he [Hyrum] was not very old and did not know just what to do, so at last they give it up.

Another time I was away from home nearly six months herding sheep. At that time they did not have a camp tender. The boss would come up when he thought he could and when he did come, he very seldom come up where the sheep were feeding. He would write on a piece of paper and stick it on a bush telling me where he had moved the camp so when I would get to the sheep camp it would be dark and I could not find the tent so I would have to build a fire and look around the bushes [for the note]. Sometimes I would find it and sometimes I would have to wait until morning to find it. Of course, I had to go without supper and breakfast until I found it. That used to made me sore.

In the fall when he came he came up to put the sheep in a corral, to pick out the best of weather lambs and the oldest yews, he slept with me. Just as it began to get break of day I left him asleep and took a piece of bread and meat and struck out for home. I had to walk forty miles, but I got home during the night, so in the morning I sent word to his wife what I had done and for her to send him some help. When he came home he did not say a word to find fault. He had a good laugh about it, but he paid me and said that if I wanted to heard again just to let him know, but I never went out again for him. I stayed home and worked around for the neighbors and attended to the callings of the Ward Bishopric which kept me busy and between times I worked on the Brickyard.

One day we were about out of food and mentioned we had to wait for our pay. That day I went to work as usual, though we had no flour. I met the Bishop coming towards me with a 50 pound sack of flour on his shoulder. He greeted me with a cheery good morning and passed on. I thought he was taking it to a relative of his, but when dinner time came I thought I could not stand it without dinner. About 12:15 the wife came with some dinner. I asked her how she came with so much. She told me that the Bishop had brought the flour and Sylvia had caught a large catfish. That Hyrum and Alma Sorenson had gone out hunting rabbits and had shot eight between them and the four that Hyrum got were all good. That was how it came about, and I was thankful the Lord dealt kindly with us as He has done many times before and since.

About this time or soon after the Ward was to send a man or two to Provo to work on the Tabernacle, to do some painting. I was asked to go. The Ward was to pay me, but the people at Provo were to board and lodge us, that is each ward was to furnish one or two persons as it was a Stake project and Reed Smoot was the overseer of it all, so I was away nearly three weeks. When I returned I everything all right and the children well.

Another time there was a call made by the Church for each ward to send a family to Canada. The Bishop asked me about going and I told him that if that was the wish of the people, I would go. He told me to be ready in side of a week, but a brother by the name of Richard Betts volunteered to go, as he had quite a lot of cattle and other stock and his family was grown up, quite a bunch of huskies, so that let me out.

Soon after that there was a change in the Bishopric and the President of the Elder's Quorum was called to be Bishop. At that time I was First Counsilor and Isaac Hansen was President. When he was made Bishop, I was made President of the Elder's Quorum, by President Reed Smoot. I worked also as first assistant to the President of the Young Men's Mutual and was secretary of the Sunday School.

When the Sunday School Jubilee on Sunday Dec 10, 1899 I received a badge. I suppose this was throughout the church. I still have mine and likewise the wife's and three children's badges which were given to each member of the Sunday School. I continued to work for one and then another Organization until 1902 in April when there was quite a few families moving away. Two sons of Helsey Bird came to me and told me that Rose had married Nathaniel Gardener of Spanish Fork and they had moved to Idaho and that there was a better opportunity up there than at Benjamin. I found out when they expected to start and myself and wife talked it over and agreed to go. It was about the first of June when we started. I had to hurry for there were many things to see to and my wagon was not the best to go on a long trip with, but I cobbled it up the best I could and bid the wife and children except Robert, as I was going to take him along, good-bye. I can say we had an enjoyable time all the way and they treated me as if I was one of the family and it was the same way when we arrived at Ammon. Nathaniel Gardener had located East of Bishop Christian Anderson and as he was an old settler he was able to give us a little work to do until the hay was ready to cut when we agreed to help him in the hay.

After his hay was up we went over and helped his brother, Joseph put up his hay. After that Lou and myself hired out for the summer to P. Harvey Plank, South of Ammon. Lou tended the East fields and I had the West part. We camped in our wagons under some trees close to the creek and as he had his family along he had to get a tent, so as they could have more room and we got along fine. His wife, Martha, looked after my boy when I was away. The only trouble she had with him was when he wanted to play near the creek. I found out that talking to him did no good, so I watched my chance and when he was leaning over the bank playing with the water, I got around behind him and took hold of his feet and threw him in. As the water was running quite swiftly, he had a job to climb out, but he never played near the creek after that and Martha was glad of that because it worried her for fear he might drown.

We worked until November and then went back to Ammon and Lewis told us about Joseph Bannon having ground to let go up towards Rigby and he had been up and made arrangements for forty acres. The only thing for us to do was to drive up there, so that night found us camped in the cottonwoods along the river, in order to avoid the rush in the morning, but when we got there, there were several who had camped near his house in the street. They were going to start about ten o'clock to look over the ground, so we went in and inquired as to his terms and he told us about it. When he started out he came to the ground where Alvin Coles not lives and the Lords boy said they would take that, then coming down the canal West, Lewis Bird told me that was the forty he had taken and he was going to move logs during the winter, the logs being at Ammon. Coming West he came to the eighty. I had a feeling come over me that I should take it, but he did not mark it down like he did for the Lords boys and I began to think there was some one else had spoken before I did, so I did not say anymore about it.

We went from one place to another, following him around for the better part of the day, but the others seemed not to be much interested. When they got through they concluded they would consider the thing over and let him know later. Then he turned to me and said, you want the eighty over on the burns near the canal. I asked him why he called the ground over there the burns and he told me that at one time there was a heavy growth of sage and some one set it on fire and the wind was blowing the fire toward the little town of Rigby and caused the people to become alarmed and they all turned out and got the fire out as they did not want their property burned. After that they had all call it "burns".

I made arrangements to take the eighty and went over to his place and signed up and made arrangement to move up the next Spring. The day following I started for Utah. Having no load and only Robert and myself, I traveled early and late. I was nearly a week going down, but got there without any trouble, but I took another route going home than the one we came up on.

I was glad to get back to the wife and children. Hyrum had taken good care of things and everything seemed to be as good and perhaps better than if I had been home myself. During the winter I attended to my duties of the Church with the understanding that I would leave in the Spring.

I was released from the Presidency of the Elder's Quorum and Walter Ludlow was made President. During the thirteen years we had been there we had six children born to us. [Editor's Note: Besides the children mentioned previously two more daughters were born in Benjamin, Amelia was born 20 Mar 1900 and Mildred who was born 24 Apr 1902).

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Robert Lemuel Campbell - 1858-1936 #8



That fall there was a slump in the silver market and the mines at the reef began to close down and people began to pull off to other places, so there was not much doing over there. We had quite a lot of stuff on our hands that we could not sell, so when the dried fruit was ready to ship and the grapes were picked, some were dried and made into wine, as there was not much else to do.

My harness was played out so I went to the store and got some rope for tugs and lines. While I was there the Bishop Bringhurst said he wanted another wagon to take fruit to Milford. I volunteered to take my outfit and go with a load, but he looked at me for awhile and then said, "you will only be a burden on the others." I told him I thought I could make it. Then one of the men spoke up and said, "Why don't you try him Bishop?"

At last he told me that if I'd take a load with that outfit and didn't have a break-down he would give me the rope and pay me the same as the other boys, but if I did break-down and give them trouble I wouldn't get anything for the trip and I'd have to pay him for the rope. I agreed right there, so we were to be at the store on Monday morning early and leave Tuesday morning all together.

Everything was ready and we took our wagon to our homes so they would not be molested during the night. Quite a few people had heard about the deal with the Bishop, so some turned out to see what kind of an outfit I had, but I had a chain stay handy so as to give it a rattle or hit it on the end-gate. The mules knew what that meant and they would dig into the collar.

The first two days I kept with the company, but they killed quite a little time one way and another, so I told them I would move on. They thought they would overtake me before I got to Milford, but I got there and unloaded and was partly loaded with goods to take back, so I started back again without them. I arrived at Toquerville on Sunday afternoon just as the people were coming out of meeting. The Bishop came to the wagon and looked about the harness. Then he asked where the other boys were. I told him that they were on the road coming to Milford. I gave him the receipt for the fruit and told him I would be at the store early in the morning.

I drove home with the load. The old folks and wife were surprised to see me drive into the yard. Next morning I drove up to the store and unloaded. The Bishop again asked me where I left the boys. I told him, at Milford and that they would give him a report about me when they came home.

They got back Tuesday evening. They could hardly believe that I got back Sunday afternoon but I got my pay and the rope thrown in and the Bishop said that was the quickest trip that had been made and having a load both ways.

The old people quit the farm and in the spring I moved away from there with a fair outfit and pulled for the North again on account of my Wife's health. My Brother John came down and helped me move, as I had quite a lot of wine which I sold on the way North. I had one barrel in my wagon that held 150 gallons. I had not touched any of it when I arrived in Provo. After stopping there a few days at my Mother's place, as she had married William M. Egan and was living in the Fourth ward, I left my sister there with Mother and we started for Kaysville. We stopped at Bountiful, as Grandpa Barnard had moved there and built a small store with a butcher shop combined and Aunt Lizzie would make her own candy. They were doing quite well in the business, but after a while other parties built near them and formed a co-op store which put them out of business.

When we got to Kaysville I worked for Bishop Barton again nearly all summer. We had the first harpoon fork that was used in Kaysville. We were putting up hay at the time. The one that was on the load would it to the one on the platform built on the side of a stack and he would pitch to one on the top who stood near the edge and he passed it to the one who was doing the stacking.

The Bishop had been to Salt Lake City and he brought out the fork. We spent the next day building a derrick for it to work on and it did good work when the hay was a little tough. But when it was dry it would not hold so good in the hay. But it was easier than having to pitch it by hand.

Towards fall I went to work for George Webster who was a farmer and had sheep and cattle and he gave me work summer and winter. He had a place on the mountain road East of Kaysville. He wanted me to live up there. So he could run his sheep on the hills east of the house, which made it handy for him in the fall and early spring and likewise to feed the hay that grew on the place. We were bothered quite a bit with them. So every night they had to be corralled.

So I stayed with him until Hyrum and Sylvia were born. [Editor's Note: Hyrum Lemuel born 11 July 1888 and Sylvia Ruth born 13 Jul 1890 at Kaysville Utah.] During that time Mother had been up to visit us several times and she mentioned several times about a Mr. Stewart who lived at Benjamin in Utah County. By this time I had a little bunch of sheep of my own and five cows. We thought it would be a good thing to get ourselves a home of our own so I promised to meet him during April Conference at Salt Lake City and he told us what he would do if we came down there and Mr. Egan had been down there and thought it was a good lay out and he had made an agreement to take some of the ground. He showed me a plot of the ground and I chose the piece of ground according to the plot as I did not have time to go down there and look over the situation.

I promised to be there at a certain time. When the Conference was over we went back home. I told Mr. Webster what I had done and he said all right. If you don't make it come back and I will find something for you, so we made ready and moved to Benjamin. We had to get busy to get the ground plowed out. We did not make headway as thought we could, so his Father had 40 acres ready to plant and he let us have that on shares, which did fine and gave us encouragement to continue on.

We were living in a tent. Brother Egan came down in the fall and brought Mr. Everett and his boy, Joe and they had nothing to go on. The grain that I got for my shares from the 40 acres was used for our flour. The first flour we got we took to Payson and got ground at the flour mill, but they took so much for toll that we thought we would grind it in a coffee mill which was one of the old style ones that fastened to a wall or upright pole in the tent, so that each one that was able to grind the flour for the day which was not a hard job, but it was a long one to grind flour for the crowd and we faired very well but we had to make different arrangements as there were so many of us and in the next Spring there were others coming. I traded my sheep off for brick and likewise for some pipe for an artisan well. The brick I hauled during the winter as I wanted to begin to build the house in the Spring. Early in the Spring, after the crop was planted, we moved our tents to higher ground on the bank of a slough which was known as Duck Creek. The first thing was to get a flowing well. I got a loan of a well driver to start the pipe down through the hard pan. After that we struck a blue clay as soft as putty and in two days we struck a flow of water. When we pulled up the drill, rods of water came up two feet above the pipe which was about 18" above the surface of the ground, so we had some good water.

Our next job was to make a reservoir to catch the water so we could have a garden. With plenty of work, the time passed quickly and in August we did not have the house quite finished so we could use it, so we kept the tents in use. About that time everyone in Benjamin and other settlements were invited to a doings in Payson. It was a lovely morning so we took the team and wagon and went to Payson through the meadows which were nearer for us.

Everything was going along nicely when there appeared a very dark cloud up from the Southwest and people began to make for some place for they said that was going to be a bad storm. We took their word for it and tell you we got in the wagon and the old horses sure made a run for home, as we could hear the noise it was making. We stopped in front of the tents. They all got in Brother Egan's tent. I was the last to enter and as the flap fell at the back of me there was a sharp crack where the lightening struck the ground right into the slough. The air smelled like sulphur was burning and there was a dent in the ground right back of the wagon. I tell you we were thankful we were under cover, if it was only canvas. When we got over the fright I expected to see my horses dead, but instead they had run half a mile down the field and they were all right. I surely was thankful that none of us were hurt, but it was a close call and I don't think I will forget it as long as I live.

On the night of August 6th my wife called me and told me to get Grandma as she wanted to see her. I did as I was told and when they got through talking Grandma came to me as I was in her tent. She asked me to make it warmer. There was a load of wheat bundles on the wagon ready to be unloaded so I threw the harness on the horses and drove it up between the tent and the creek and began unloading it around the tent so as to make a wind break as the wind was blowing quite strong from the East.

About six-thirty a girl, Sarah was born and my wife had an easier time at that confinement and got around quicker than at any time before. [Editor's Note: This girl's name was Sarah Elizabeth Stotter born August 7th 1892.] My Mother was full charge and saw that my wife was well taken care of, which allowed me to see to my work. I did what I could between times on the house. When it came to putting on the roof it began to get hard for me as I was not enjoying the best of health. My wife said to me one morning that she would do the shingling as I had got it started. My legs hurt me so I could not climb the roof and it got so bad I had to go to Dr. Henry at Payson and he gave me something to rub my legs with. After that they began to break out like a lot of boils which laid me up for a month but the others stacked my grain for me so I had nothing to worry about only the house. I wanted to get that done so we wouldn't have to live in the tend another winter. Before my legs were better, I did what I could on the roof and at last the boys came and helped me finish roofing the house. When that was done, the wife moved in as it was getting cold and Mother had moved back to Provo and George Everett and son had gone back to Salt Lake City and we were alone.

When the thrashers came down here, each one had to help the other that had grain to thresh. I was helping others get their work done, but I was not feeling the best. I tried my best until we were working at Ben Olsen's who was renting Mr. Stewart's farm. I told Ben I was not feeling the best, but I wanted to do all I could. I was on the grain stack pitching bundles when I became deathly sick. My partner seeing the condition I was in, called Ben and they stopped the machine. I did not remember anymore for several weeks when I made a change. Wife told me after that I had fainted on the stack and they brought me up to the house and put me to bed. They sent for the Doctor and when he examined me he said that I had the Typhoid Amonia and I had over-worked myself and in my run down condition he did not know if he could do anything for me, but he would do all he could.

The Brethren went back to their work and when that was done the Bishop gave Brother Ockerman charge of the threshing of my grain and to see that it was taken care of. There was nearly 300 bushels. Andrew Stewart wanted Brother Ockerman to turn the grain over to him to pay on the place, but he would not do it. He had it hauled over to Payson and put in the flour mill and saw that the wife had flour in the house. Then he told the Bishop what he had done. The Bishop's cousin went to him to get his consent for him to draw on the grain that was in the mill and he told him to wait until I was better and could tend to it myself.

I had gone to the Wagon and Machine Company at Provo for several things that I needed to work with. Of course, I signed a note and when they heard of my condition they came out to see what could be done and they wanted the grain turned over to them. The Bishop told the wife not until I was able to attend to it myself. They took the things back and about three weeks after that the mill burned down the wife got ten bushels of burned grain for our share of the wheat that was at the mill.

Brother Ockerman moved to Lemington and Wiltshire Richardson was appointed by the Bishop to see after the wife and family and he told the Bishop he would if we were moved up in the settlement so he went to his wife's sister-in-law who had a house close to theirs that she did not use. Her husband had died and his Father and Mother had her to live with them and likewise her son. She let us have the house and we lived there until I was able to do for myself. When I was there the wife done many things for the old people and likewise for anyone in the Ward if they were close by. After I got well we moved back to our own place and I was glad to do what I could for anyone to help them in return for what they did for us.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Robert Lemuel Campbell - 1858-1936 #7



I got a letter from my sister who was living in Dixie or Southern Utah at Grafton, telling me how she was being treated by Ambrose Stansworth, who she had married and felt I ought to go see for myself. I showed the letter to the wife and she told her Father, and he seemed only too glad that I was going, as if he wanted to get rid of me. That night I made arrangements to go to Spanish Fork on the midnight helper. When I arrived there I walked to Payson and took the train to Milford. It surely seemed strange to me leaving, the snow and getting into the valley and seeing the peach trees in full bloom.

When I got to Milford, that was as far as the train could go, so I had to walk to Minersville. From there I got a ride to Cedar City, I knew the road as I had been over it before. I knew what I must do and how far it was from one place to the other, so I had no trouble getting along, when I had to walk. Of course, I got a ride some of the way. I got to Grafton and found that they were out on a ranch so I had quite a walk as it was up in the hills but I made it all right and was glad when I got there.

The next morning, Amby (Ambrose) went away to see about some cattle and he was gone three days. My sister told me all about their trouble and how he would leave her out there alone and how he would not come back for four or five days at a time, he staying at his Father's place.

When he came back she told him she was going to leave. He said all right, but he forbid her taking any horse from the ranch to ride. I suppose he thought if she had to walk she would not be so willing to go, as the nearest settlement was Toquerville and we would have to wade the river.

As he rode away to round up some cattle she bade him goodbye, but he never answered her. She took some of her clothes and made a bundle of them and we left the ranch and struck out for Toquerville. That was on the first of May and we called it a May Day Walk. She surely did fine until we reached the river, then she wondered how to get across the river. The only way was to ford it, so I told her I would go across with the clothes and then she [could] see how deep the river was and if she thought she could not make it I would cross again and get her. I got over all right, but she would not come alone, so I had to go back and then she did not feel like going. The only way was to carry her across, so I told her to get on my back and I would carry her across. Then she was afraid I might fall with her, so I got her to take off her shoes and stockings so they would not get wet. I carried her over with the understanding that if I fell down for her not to cling too tight to me as we might strangle ourselves, but we had no bother only in drying my clothes that I had worn in the water.

When we got to Toquerville, the people were have a May Day doings and we were made welcome. We both got work. I went to work for John Batty and she went to work at Silver Reef, which was a mining camp. The man she worked for supplied the mine with timbers for the mine.

During that time, my wife and her Father disagreed about me. He tried to make out that I had left her and kept it up, so she decided to leave. When she left Tucker, she paid her way to Milford. Then she told the agent what she was doing and where she wanted to go and asked his advice as to what to do. He told her what to do and made arrangements for her to say there until some one came along from that part as there was freight in the depot for them and he expected them most any day.

The next morning he told her there was a man from Cedar City and he would see that she got there safe. She concluded that would be the best thing for her to do. This man made a business of freighting for the different stores at Cedar City and he was well acquainted with many people that traveled to Milford. By the time he got loaded up he could only make Minersville by night, so they camped there that night. That was her first experience in camping out. They wanted her to cook supper and she did not know where to begin. She told them that so everything had to wait until the horses were tended to, and when that was done they got out the Dutch Oven, built a good fire around it and while that was getting hot they mixed the dough and peeled the potatoes, fried meat and eggs. When everything was ready they ate on the ground, but they give her the spring seat. She said she was hungry but everything was strange to her and she did not know what to think of it, but when she started to eat, it surely tasted good. When all were through they made her a bed on top of the boxes and the horses were tied to the wagon and the hay for them under the wagon. The men made their bed by the fire.

She said she could not sleep because the horses made such a noise eating the hay and when they were through they kept moving the cover and she thought they would tear it and might bite her. She was glad when the boys began moving about and looking after the animals. She got out and did what she could to help get the breakfast and they cooked enough for breakfast and lunch, as they would get home that night.

They got there about 10 o'clock at night and she was so tired she could hardly keep awake. When they got home he called his wife out and made them acquainted with one another and his wife surely treated her good. After supper was all over they all went to bed. The lady had her stay there three days to rest up. She tanked them for their kindness to her and he found a man that was going south, but he had only the running gears as he was going to get lumber, but he made it as comfortable as he could for her. Going over the rocks and rough road was hard, though, at the best, but he was a jolly sort of a fellow and he made it pleasant for her. When they got to Bellview they stopped for the night. She stayed at the Camphouse and he made it comfortable for her.

In the morning he got to the road that she had to go on over the hills. He told her she had better go with him and perhaps they would meet a team coming from the reef that was going up the river. When they got to the grapevine springs they met a team that was going to take the cut off road which was nearer to the river, but there was lots of sand to go through and it was getting quite warm at that time of the day.

She went with the man who was going to Shouenburg. This man told her he believed I was at Toquerville and he was going through Toquerville where I was living. When they got to the top of Johnson twist they met the mail man. The man inquired about Robert Campbell as he knew nearly everyone on his route. He told him that I was at Toquerville at John Batty's place. She then went with the mailman.

When she got there I was at work so she went to the house and inquired about me. Sister Batty told her I wasn't there and then she noticed the girl's face, so she asked her if she wanted to see me. She said yes, but did not say that she was my wife and Mrs. Batty knew that she must be a stranger and coming from up the river did not know who it could be. She told her that I was working over the river in the grapes and she asked the way to go. She told her that she would send one of her boys on a horse to get me, then invited the girl into the house to wait. Mrs. Batty then asked her if she would have some dinner, but she refused on account of the flies for they were terribly thick.

When the boy came over where I was he told me I was wanted at home. I tried to get him to tell me what I was wanted for as I took my dinner with me when I went to work in the morning, but he would not say anything, so I thought it best to go and see for myself. I rode my horse to the house. Sister Batty came to the door and I asked what was wanted. Then she told me there was a person from up the river wanted to see me. I thought it was my Brother Will, who was living up at Rockville. I turned the horse loose in the yard and went into the house. The room being dark, I could not see very good. She took hold of my hand and asked me how I was getting along. It was sure a surprise to see her.

I told them that she was my wife, as they all stood to catch everything that was said, we were told to go into the parlor out of the flies and they would bring us some dinner in there. I was surely glad to get some place where we could talk. She told me all the news. If she had waited another week we would have passed one another on the road, as I had arranged to go back North, but as she was there I made other arrangements.

I wrote a letter to Mr. Allen who had a house there that he only used in the winter time. He was the man my sister was working for. He let us have the house for the summer months, rent free if I would look after it and keep the fence from being destroyed, which I agreed to do.

We went to Kaysville for our recommends for there was no telling how [long] we would be down there. That summer Roan Spillisburg's Aunt came from England and Roan had a farm South of town called the Buming farm. The old folks went there to live, but it was a little way out of town and the old lady did not like to be alone, so Roan came and asked if I would move out there with the old people and run the farm on shares with them. I told them it would be all right if they were willing. I had worked around during the summer and got myself a little span of mules and a fairly good light wagon. I got some collars with them and not very good harness, just something to go about with. The wife and I went out there to see what could be done.

They had no children and were glad to have us come out there. Everything was arranged for us to live in the front part of the house and they to live in the back and there was two spare rooms upstairs, so we moved right away as we would have to find another place anyway for various things.

We had plenty of work to do as that part of the farm had a fence made out of cobble rock and there were lots of pieces knocked out of it. There was hay to haul from Roan's place that he let us have, to be paid for when we could. We got more than we needed for our use, but we thought we could put teams up for the night or sell it to the folks going to the reef or returning to their homes as things bought there were very high and those that sold food stuff over there had to take care how their vegetables, butter, eggs, meat or anything to sell had to be clean and look nice or they would not buy.

Things went fine and the folks and we got along fine. They were willing to do most anything for us and we were the same with them. When the first part of November came, the wife was not feeling very well, so the old gentleman went over to the John Batty's Father's house to see about his wife coming over to the place which she did. She did what she could for her, but it was not until the third, in the afternoon that the baby was born. My sister came from the lumber camp and stayed with us and between all of us we did the job up fine. The old lady could not do any more if it had been her own, so we got through the winter and by the last of February we were putting our garden in. (Editor's Note: This child was named Alfred Henry he was born 3 Nov 1885 in Toquerville, Utah). When that was done other things were put in. Wheat, barley, oats, corn, molasses cane seed, tomato seed, okra and all sorts of garden truck so as to sell at the reef. While that was growing we had five acres of grapevines to trim and stake and during the summer the hay had to be cut five times. It kept us busy besides trimming our peach trees. As fast as there was anything to sell, the old gent would slip over to the reef with it as we were only ten miles from there.

We would get things ready and pack at nights in the little light wagon and about four o'clock in the morning we would pull out, so as to get over the sand before it got too hot. The mules would not walk very fast going from home, but they tried to make up for lost time when they were headed for home. They were the best we had and we had to make them do, but they did not seem to get tired. You could take them on a trip and when they got home and you turned them loose so they could have a roll, when they got through they would give themselves a shake and then a drink and a feed of oats and they were ready for the road again.

As the work increased, Mr. Williams had to get a team of his own to help out. He undertook to go North with things so my wife made three trips a week to the reef which made it very hard on her with her child. I could not leave the place and Mrs. Williams did what she could and tried to help take care of the boy. There was only one thing that I did not like. He wanted to work on Sunday and I would not do it unless it was right necessary, but for all that he did try and work it on me several times.

The second year it was about the same as the first. There was one little thing that seemed strange at the time. We had about ten acres of molasses down on the river and we walked down there stripping the leaves off the cane so as to have it ready to cut. The old Gent went through the cane to count the rows and when he got nearly through he came across a badger and it scared him so bad he came running back to us, his face as white as if he were sick and his wife asked him what was the matter. When he could speak he told her the devil was lying down in one of the cane rows. The three of us went to see what it was, for he would not go with us and when we found it we could see what it was as it went shuffling off, but the old Gent would not count any more rows by himself.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Robert Lemuel Campbell - 1858-1936 #6



Next morning we took the train for Salt Lake. When I wrote that everything was all right home, as Mother had paid the rent while I was away. We made up our minds that we would get married , but her Father told Bishop Booth not to give her a recommend. When she asked him for a recommend, he could not give it to her unless she was rebaptized. She told him that she had done nothing wrong and she was not going to be baptized so he would not give her a recommend. She wrote me about it and in my letter I mentioned Bishop George Taylor. She wrote Brother Taylor and asked him if he would give her a recommend and he wrote back stating that he would if she came to Salt Lake City. She left Diannah Smoot after showing her Brother Taylor's letter and came to Salt Lake. Having no other place to go she came to our home and stopped with me and my brother Will. When I applied to be ordained an Elder, Brother Ware was away from home as he worked for the Utah Central Railway. When he came back, Bishop Joseph Pollard said I would have to wait until the next Priesthood meeting. While waiting I moved into the 15th Ward to two rooms in a basement. Brother Pollard visited us several times and likewise had us come to his place and wanted to know how we were carrying ourselves, as people did some talking about Lizzie living there with me. At last Priesthood meeting came around and I was recommended to be ordained an Elder. The following is from a copy of the Elder's Certificate: This certifies that Robert Campbell was ordained an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 5th day of November 1883, at Salt Lake City in Salt Lake County and duly received as a member of the 5th Quorum of Elders of the Salt Lake Stake, Nov. 1883. James Ware, President; William R. Jones, Secretary Fifth Elders Quorum.

On the 7th of November 1883, both of us went to President John Taylor to get our recommends signed so we could go to the Endowment House. He invited us into the office and asked us to be seated and then he asked us a few questions. What Ward we lived in; then he took the recommends, looked them over; then he looked straight at us. His eyes seemed to see right through us. Then he asked the names of the Stake Presidency. I mentioned Angus M. Cannon, Charles W. Penrose, and Joseph W. Taylor, so he signed the recommends and we thanked him and left to go home and get ready, as we had to be at the Endowment House at 7 o'clock the following morning. We have made the remark many times as to how his eyes pierced us.

During that night it began to rain and in the morning it was no better, so we thought it was no use to wait for the street car, as it was run by small mules and very seldom on time and we would have to change cars to get to the Tabernacle grounds and the West gate was the only one that would be open. The only was to be sure that we got there on time was to walk.

Lizzie had made the clothes for us and we put them together and away we went. We walked as fast as we could. We got there early and the workers helped us dry our clothes, so we were made quite comfortable. Everything proceeded nicely and of course we all had to be shown and told what to do. There were so many of us that it was slow going but as far as I know no one felt worried until we went upstairs to the sealing room and right on the top of the stairs we could see the clock and the hands were pointing to 4 o'clock. For myself, I can say I was hungry right away.

President Joseph F. Smith got us all seated and then he told us to make ourselves comfortable as was possible and those that were going North would be sealed first so as to catch the train. After that those going South would go through next and then those that lived in the City would be left until the last. You will have to guess how we felt, but then what about the workers and they had the work to do and as far as I know they had had nothing to eat and they were there before we were.

At last our turn came and as Mother had prepared something for us at the hospital, we rode up there. Sister Emma Everett was up there when we got there and we stayed there until 10 o'clock. The street cars had quit running on the account of the storm. Oh, how it did thunder and lightning was fierce and the rain like a sheet of water, but we had to make the best of it for it did not take long to get soaked through. We took the short cut for home. The houses were not so close together then as they are now, so Lizzie went into the house and Sister Everett had to go to the West of the 16th Ward and she wanted to go home on account of the storm being so bad, so I went with her through the depot grounds to the North. After we got away from the lights in the yard we would have to stop until the lightning flashed to show us where to go. When she got where she was familiar with the surroundings she wanted me to go back as she thought Lizzie would be scared, the thunder made such a noise and I was soaked so when I got back Lizzie had my dry clothes ready. I was not long in getting out of my wet ones and into the dry ones. That was our wedding reception.

A few weeks after that the hospital quit running and Mother, of course, had to come home for she had said several times that the hospital could not run much longer the way things were going. When she came, she did not like to live in the basement as she had seen enough of how people down South did in houses partly above ground. She looked around for another place and I got a little work at Silver's Foundry when they were making castings for different mines. I also helped Brother James King in the foundry, but when the silver mines were closed down, Mr. Silver and his two sons, Joseph and Hyrum did what little there was to be done. They almost closed down. While I was working there, Mother got a small house on City Creek, on block South of Sister Fielding's place which was owned by Sister Thompson, a near relative of Sister Fielding, but we did not take our recommends from the 15th Ward. My Brother Will had a little work hauling salt from the Salt Lake or near there and he boarded with us which helped us all to get through the winter.

My Brother John was working for Bishop Peter Barton at Kaysville. It was some time in April when I walked out there to see John and when I was about to leave he gave me a six week old little pig to take home. By the time I got to Salt Lake City, I began to think I had the sow, I mean the Mother of the little pig.

About two weeks after that I met Bishop P. Barton in Salt Lake City and he asked me if I had anything to do. I told him I was still hunting work. Then he told me that he had just made an agreement with Will Woods, the butcher, to deliver 50 ewes and 100 lambs at the slaughter yard North of Salt Lake and that if I thought I could deliver them in three days I could have the job. I told him I would try it, so I went home and told Mother and Lizzie that I had got a job and was going to leave right away and walk out there. I got there about 10 o'clock that night. He told me in the morning that the sheep were in the care of the Webster boys at Providence, up the Weber Canyon. I got my breakfast and tied some food in a flour sack which was made fast to the saddle. The horse was an old sheep camp horse. Then I got a note telling me what I was to get and away I went. I kept going until I got there in the evening. I helped to get the sheep corralled so as to be ready for the morning. Then I made my bed on some wool sacks and went to bed. I had just two days left. I could not sleep much for I was tired and sheep ticks were bad. I was glad when it began to come daylight.

We cut out the ewes and lambs and they helped me to get them separated from the herd. Then they went with me for about a mile and went back to camp. The old ewes had been over the road, I suppose, many times for they took the lead and lambs tried to keep up and played as they went along. However, the ewes did not play. When it began to get warm, they began to lag, so I let them rest while it was hot and then towards evening I let them go along the road and pick where they could find something to eat.

I traveled all night and at about 11 a.m. the next morning I had them at the yard in good shape. I got my receipt for them and went home, but things were not as I had left them. Mother had taken the stove and her bed and bedding and had left the place. Lizzie had her bread ready to bake and no fire, so Sister Thompson's daughter took the bread and baked it for us. I did the best I could for my wife and much as I hated to leave her alone, I told her I had to go back with the receipt for the sheep and get my money. I bid her goodbye and told her I would get back just as soon as I could. He was surprised when I got there and he read the note that I brought him. He thanked me, but he did not give me my money, but he told me he would see me in the morning. His wife gave me some quilts and told me to make my bed in the hayloft which I did and was soon fast asleep. I did not wake up until morning. His second wife had nearly got the cows all milked and the other wife was getting breakfast. During breakfast he asked me if I would like to work on the farm. I told him I would, so he loaned me a team and wagon to go to Salt Lake and get the wife and what furniture we had.

Lizzie was surprised when I drove up there with the wagon. As my Brother Will had got work with Robert T. Burton South of town. It did not take many hours before we had started for Kaysville. We arrived there in the evening so that night and several nights we slept in the hayloft over the cows and both of us made ourselves useful around the place until I got a chance to get us a place which was close to Mr. Stubbs and Mr. Thomas Meeks, who were our neighbors. We got along fine and our little pig sure took up with the wife. It was just as good as a watch dog, for it lay on the doorstep at night. I had to walk to work most of the time and usually tried to catch the hand car when it went South in the morning. Sometimes it had to go towards Layton to the North, but I did not mind having to walk as it was only about a mile and we were doing fine.

On the 23 November 1884 the wife took sick and we had to have the midwife. She was one of Christopher Layton's wives and was a little nervous and allowed Mrs. Bailey to interfere. Between the two of them they made a bad job of it. They had to get a young man to go and get a Doctor from Farmington whose name was Parkinson. Of course, that took quite a while as there were no cars and horse and buggy were slow. When he got there he made an examination. He turned to me and said he would have to use the instruments as the child had to be forced, stating that it was jammed in the passage. He surely did work until the child was brought into the world. He thought he could save it and he tried his best, but it was too far gone. Then he tended to the wife. After that he told Mrs. Layton how it was the the cause. (Editors Note: according to family records and information taken from the headstone of Robert Lemuel and Victoria Elizabeth, this child was named Hisbadeck).

I stayed with the wife and neighbors came in and did what they could. On Sunday I was sitting in the doorway, reading when I looked down the street and saw Brother Mansell coming along. Every now and then he would stop and look around. At last he got in front of the house, but he was still in the middle of the street when he asked me if anyone was sick in the house. I told him, yes, my wife was sick. He came to the door and looked towards the bed. Then he said, yes, this is the place. Then he turned to me and asked me if I held the office of an Elder. I told that I did and then he asked if we had any consecrated oil. I went in the other little room and got it. Then he asked me to help him which I did, but he was mouth in the ordinance.

I was astonished at the blessing he gave her. As soon as he was through he left. Then I began to think of his words. It seemed impossible for them to come to pass when she was in (such a condition), yet I felt there was something about it that I could not get rid of the feeling that it would come to pass. He had said during the week she would leave to go on a journey to a near relative and that she would become strong in body and her health would be better and that inside of a year she would bring forth another boy and many other things and that she would be blessed with a large posterity, which would love and respect her and she would help the sick.

After that all pain left her and she felt she wanted to sit up, so during the week she got a letter from her Father who was working on the section up in Spanish Fork Canyon at Tucker, with a ticket and stating that he would meet the train on Sunday morning and for her to be sure and be there. She went and I realized that part of that wonderful blessing had some true. I figured that the rest would also.

A few days after that she wrote me that on Soldiers Summit they had a very bad snow storm and they wanted men to shovel snow up near the tunnel going over the divide. She asked me if I would come up there as her Father wanted her to help his wife run a boarding house at Tucker. He did not know that she had been ill so she was not much good for what help he wanted, but she soon got her strength back again. As she had written there was work up there I thought I could help myself by working up there and likewise be near her, so I took the train to Tucker and went to work the next morning.

When the drifts were cut through so they could get into the tunnel, then they could make their own way as it was down hill. While most of the men were from Springville and Spanish Fork they went home. Mr. Skunen who was a section boss and who boarded at Grandfather's offered me a job on the section. I worked there until the first of April.

To be continued.